Help Me stop My chicken being bullied!

[Ilovemyexbatts]

Hello,

I am relatively new to chicken keeping. I have found some useful information and advice online and actioned it but im still a bit worried about one of my ex batts. Here is what i have done so far:

I got 2 ex batts and then 3 more. At first the 2 originals bullied the 3 new comers but that settled down relatively quickly. One of the newbies though, is still being pecked at/bullied. I accept that she is most likely bottom of the social group (what is the group term for some hens?!! Best guess ive come up with is a cluck of hens?!) and will get the odd peck here and there, but she was really getting it from the others. SO, i have seperated her with the 2 that dont bully her so much and left the worst offenders in the old pen.

The bullied chicken and the other two have been put in the new pen because i want the bullied one to gain social status in the pen where they will all eventually end up. Thing is, she is still really timid with me, last to feed etc and i was wondering if there is anything else i can do to help her?

She is looking alot better now, lots more feathers, nearly as good as the others, but im worried she is having a crap time of it and will never fit in. WOuld it be best if i rehomed her? or is there anything i can do to make her life more pleasent?

Thanks!!

[Suechooks]

It may be that she's not laying again yet so is still bottom of the pile. I had a Bluebelle that was quite high in the flock pecking order and VERY confident and easy to handle. She went into a massive moult became absolutely paranoid, screamed every rime I went near her etc. As soon as she started to feather up again and was laying,she went back to her normal bolshy self.
You'll always have a bottom hen just as there's always a top hen. As long as there's no blood being spilt its normal behaviour. We think its bullying but to hens its their normal flock dynamics. As long as each one knows its place all will be ok.

[polo]

I agree with Sue. I have had hens moulting that were confident turn into absolute wusses and this all changed once they were back to normal. My 'bottom of the pecking order' hen is a real loner too. She doesn't like humans or other hens and I suspect she would be the same where ever she was. I just make sure there is no blood drawn (sometimes they squawk really loudly and the other hen hasn't even touched them) and make sure she can get to the food and water. You may need an extra feeder and water when they are back together. Hang a few cabbages so they have to work for them and this will help to distract them from pecking each other.

Good luck and don't worry too much x

[Ilovemyexbatts]

Thank you

aww thank you both very much! Your advice reassures me alot. Ill just make sure she is fed and watered and happy as she can be.

[motherhen]

What do you feed? do they get access to it ALL the time? be careful of making them peck at cabbage there is a train of thought that it can increase pecking habit?
Are they in a fixed run or are they ranging? As Polo says put extra feeders out of sight of the other birds so she can have a good feed on her own. Sometimes when people are desperate and the bird is losing condition because she is being constantly driven off the food, take her in a light shed or garage and let her eat and then put her back in the house to roost with the others and she will gain condition without having to be seperated.
You can give little pick me up's to help with stress and condition improvers.